The contact center industry as a whole has a bad rap when it comes to retaining employees. And unfortunately, the reputation is well earned. From low pay to stressful work environments, it’s little wonder that the industry struggles. But progressive companies are learning that contact center attrition is avoidable when the challenge is dealt with proactively. Reducing contact center attrition by just a few percentage points can save money and create a much more supportive and productive work environment.

This blog post serves as an adjunct to our previous post, How to Retain Good Contact Center Employees and provides seven important components of a contact center attrition reduction program. 

Hire the Right Candidates from the Outset

It seems simple, but taking steps to hire the right candidates from the outset will reduce contact center attrition in both the short and long term. To this end, make sure the recruitment process is designed to assess not only the technical skills required for the role but also the soft skills necessary for great customer interactions. You can test for these qualities through behavioral interviews, situational judgment tests, and realistic job previews. The right recruiting process combined with a comprehensive onboarding experience can ease new hires into their roles, making them feel more prepared and confident in their abilities.

Learn to Spot Contact Center Attrition Risks Before They Happen

Being proactive about contact center attrition is the best way to stem the tide. This proactive strategy could involve providing Attrition Early Warning Signs training for contact center leadership to help them identify at-risk employees. One strategy is to use an attrition matrix tool to identify employees as red for high risk, yellow for medium risk, and green for low risk. Daily, weekly, or monthly attrition should be reported via a comprehensive attrition report. Creating an attrition action committee comprised of leadership members from all departments can be helpful for the purposes of reviewing trends and identifying root causes of attrition. Attrition action registers can also be helpful in maintaining trends and actions completed or in progress to improve attrition. 

Ensure Compensation and Benefits Are Competitive

While there’s much more to job satisfaction than compensation, salary and benefits need to be competitive if your goal is to reduce attrition. Your HR team should periodically test the job market to ensure that hourly rates and annual salaries are in line with market norms. Healthcare, retirement plans, paid time off, and performance incentives make a difference for employees weighing job options. However, it’s also not uncommon for some employees to take these perks for granted, or not be aware of them at all. Make sure that these additional benefits are communicated regularly and assign an estimated dollar amount to help employees better appreciate the value of their total benefit packages.

As well, offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote or hybrid options, can help employees maintain a better work-life balance, reduce burnout and increase job satisfaction. When employees feel that their compensation aligns with their efforts and they have the flexibility to manage their personal lives effectively, they are less likely to look for work elsewhere.

Ensure Equipment Is up to Par

Agonizing slow computers and clunky systems can add an extra layer of frustration to an already stressful job. Always ensure that employees have the tools and resources they need to do their jobs most efficiently. Outdated technology, inefficient processes, dated hardware, and a lack of support can create lots of job dissatisfaction. By investing in modern contact center technology, such as AI-driven assistance tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and automated workflows, you can make life a whole lot easier for your agents and reduce contact center attrition.

Take Action on Employee Feedback

Listening to employee feedback and taking action based on their concerns is also critical. Regular employee surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one meetings can provide insights into what is working well and what needs improvement. When employees see that their feedback is valued and leads to tangible changes, they feel more invested in the organization. Addressing common pain points, whether it’s workload distribution, shift scheduling, or policy adjustments, can enhance job satisfaction and reduce contact center attrition.

Exit interviews are a must for all departing employes. Enhanced exit interviews and surveys will help you gather important data and insights into why employees leave. This valuable data should be compiled into a comprehensive exit report that is reviewed by human resources and leadership as a part of attrition improvement strategies. 

We can only change what we focus on. And when it comes to the problem of contact center attrition, proactive identification, employee input, and attrition tracking reports are essential steps in creating a contact center where employees see a long-term future. For more information on contact center attrition reduction strategies, contact us.